The Justice Department announced today a lawsuit against the manager and owner of the Geneva Terrace Apartments in La Crosse, Wisc., alleging discrimination against African-Americans who were seeking to rent apartments at the complex.

"To see the results of this law enforcement initiative – arresting 80 defendants with firearms, most of whom have gang affiliations – is impressive," said Deputy Attorney General Cole.

The Department of Justice filed a lawsuit today against the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections alleging that it violated the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act by failing to retroactively promote a U.S. Army Reservist based on his successful performance on a make-up promotional examination after he returned from a military deployment.

The Justice Department announced today that it has reached a settlement with James J. Williams Bulk Service Transport Inc. (JJW), its parent company Trans-System Inc. and System TWT Transportation Inc. alleging that the companies violated the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) by failing to promptly and properly reemploy U.S. Air Force reservist Dave Axtell in April 2009 when he returned from military service in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

Two Pittsburgh residents were sentenced to prison this week on racketeering charges relating to their involvement with the Brighton Place/Northview Heights Crips.

The Justice Department today announced a settlement of its lawsuit alleging that Equity Homes Inc, PBR LLC, BBR LLC and Shane Hartung violated the Fair Housing Act (FHA) by failing to provide features that would make their multi-family housing developments in Sioux Falls accessible to people with disabilities as required by the Fair Housing Act.

Ekpedeme Obot, 35, of Houston, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Lee Rosenthal in Houston.

Today, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana in New Orleans entered the revised settlement agreement reached between the United States and Terrebonne Parish as an order of the court.

The United States has asked a federal court in Detroit to bar Carlos Brown from preparing federal tax returns for others.

“The work we are doing is sending an unmistakable message: that, in this country, we will not give up on our children when it comes to combating youth violence,” Attorney General Eric Holder said.

The Justice Department has filed a lawsuit against the owners of Yorkshire Apartments, Thackeray Ledges and Wales Ridge Apartments in Massillon, Ohio, for discriminating on the basis of race and familial status when renting their apartments in violation of the Fair Housing Act.

"The fight against transnational organized crime is one of the highest enforcement priorities of the Department of Justice and the Administration," said Assistant Attorney General Breuer.

A former lieutenant with the New Orleans Police Department (NOPD), was sentenced today for his role in a conspiracy to obstruct justice and for misprision of a felony, in connection with a federal investigation of two police-involved shootings that left two civilians dead and four others seriously wounded in the area of the Danziger Bridge in the days after Hurricane Katrina.

A federal jury today convicted Spokane, Wash., Police Officer Karl F. Thompson Jr., 64, of civil rights and obstruction charges stemming from his March 18, 2006, beating of an unarmed citizen and an extensive cover-up that followed.

"OJP’s mission is to increase public safety and improve the fair administration of justice across America through innovative leadership and programs," said Assistant Attorney General Robinson.

A former soldier who also served as a civilian contract recruiter pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to obtain approximately $164,000 in fraudulent recruiting bonuses from various U.S. military components and their contractor.

Zafar Mehmood, 45, allegedly masterminded a $30 million scheme involving the submission of fraudulent claims submitted to Medicare for services that were medically unnecessary and/or never provided through at least four home health agencies.

Lowe’s, a national hardware store chain, has agreed to settle the Justice Department’s claims alleging that the company violated the Uniform Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) when it terminated the employment of Matthew King, a U.S. Army Guard member and Iraq War veteran, without just cause.

Tierra Environmental, owner Ronald Holmes and manager Stewart J. Roth have been charged with illegally discharging wastewater into the sewers of the Hammond Sanitary District from a closed facility.

Two individuals – a loan officer and a title agent – have been sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge William P. Dimitrouleas in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., for their participation in a nationwide $2.5 million reverse mortgage fraud scheme.

The Justice Department announced today that the Civil Rights Division will monitor elections on Nov. 8, 2011, in Alameda County, Calif.; Springfield, Mass.; Humphreys, Leflore, Panola and Wilkinson Counties, Miss.; Lorain County, Ohio; and Jasper, Texas.

According to court documents, in January 2011, Ms. Parente used physical force against two volunteer escorts who were accompanying a patient into the Planned Parenthood of Western Pennsylvania Liberty Avenue clinic.

"It is critical to continue our dialogue about how we can ensure a level playing field for all who are seeking economic opportunity and a fair chance at the American Dream," said Assistant Attorney General Perez.

Beatriz Torres-Cruz, 50, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Joan A. Lenard in Miami to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and one count of solicitation of health care kickbacks.

The Department of Justice will require New West Health Services Inc. to sell the majority of its commercial health-insurance business to a third-party buyer and provide additional relief in order to preserve health-insurance competition in Montana.

Michael Eisenberg, a resident of Long Island, N.Y., was sentenced Monday in connection with a series of fraudulent business opportunity ventures.

"As we honor American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage month, we work to build on our continued progress strengthening tribal law enforcement," said Deputy Attorney General Cole.

The Justice Department announced today the filing of a complaint against the city of Pittsfield, Mass., for violating the rights of a U.S. Navy Reservist under the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994.

Carlos Mario Jimenez-Naranjo, aka “Macaco,” a paramilitary leader and one of Colombia’s most notorious drug traffickers, has been sentenced to 33 years in prison.

First Niagara Bank N.A. and HSBC Bank USA N.A. agreed to sell 26 branch offices in the Buffalo, N.Y., area with approximately $1.6 billion in deposits, to resolve the Justice Department's antitrust concerns from the sale of HSBC’s branch network in upstate New York to First Niagara.

The 10-count indictment returned today in U.S. District Court in Arizona charges Adalberto Valenzuela, 31, of Tucson, Ariz., with two counts of conspiracy, two counts of bribery, two counts of bribery involving programs receiving federal funds, two counts of Hobbs Act extortion under color of official right and two counts of possession with intent to distribute cocaine.

Aaron Ford, 22, aka “.40 Cal.,” pleaded guilty on July 12, 2011, to one count of conspiracy to engage in a racketeering enterprise before Senior U.S. District Judge Gustave Diamond.

The Justice Department announced today that District Court Judge David C. Godbey has granted the request of the department and Dallas County to end court supervision of a lawsuit concerning conditions at the Dallas County Jail.

The Justice Department announced today that, as part of its settlement with BAC Home Loans Servicing LP, a subsidiary of Bank of America Corporation, servicemembers whose homes were unlawfully foreclosed upon will each receive a minimum $116,785 plus compensation for any equity lost to compensate them for the bank’s alleged violation of the Servicemember Civil Relief Act.

"We believe that enacting the SAVE Act will strengthen tribal jurisdiction over crimes of domestic violence, tribal protection orders, and Federal assault prosecutions," said Associate Attorney General Perrelli.

The agreement represents approximately 20 percent of the estimated $37.5 million in forfeited assets located in the Dominican Republic that stem from a conspiracy led by brothers Carlos, Luis and Jose Benitez, who allegedly defrauded the U.S. Medicare program of approximately $80 million.

Isabel Roque, 55, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Edwin G. Torres in Miami to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud. Roque was the president of Isa & Yami Inc., which purported to provide patient transportation services in Miami.

In signing this important forfeited asset sharing agreement, Prosecutor General Radhaméz Jiménez Peña and I reaffirm our common values, as well as our ongoing commitment to the goals that the United States and the Dominican Republic share: protecting our citizens, strengthening our borders, improving public safety, reducing recidivism, preventing and combating gang- and drug-fueled crime and violence, and ensuring that criminals do not profit from illegal activity," said Attorney General Holder.

"It is in this spirit of friendship that I have traveled to your beautiful country. And I am grateful, on a very personal level, for this opportunity to help build upon the progress that our nations – and America’s allies throughout the Caribbean region – have made together over the years," said Attorney General Holder.

"The Albert Schweitzer Awards are given in honor of one of the world’s great humanitarians, a man who defined “good” as the preservation and enhancement of life in all its forms. The work that these recipients have done embodies the soul of Schweitzer’s philosophy," said Assistant Attorney General Robinson.

Belal Amin Alsaidi, 30, of Buffalo, N.Y., pleaded guilty today to trafficking in counterfeit goods.

The seven-count indictment alleges that Michael Moore, 44, of Chadds Ford, Penn., infringed the copyright protected works during seven six-month periods between May 2006 and June 2010.

Marsha Elmore of Wetumpka, Ala., the owner of a tax preparation business called Community Tax, pleaded guilty today to charges related to her use of stolen identities to fraudulently obtain tax refunds.

"Sentencing and corrections policy affects everyone in society, and I am confident that the more people are thinking about it, the easier it will prove to arrive at solutions," said Assistant Attorney General Breuer.

"The Administration has responded to Congress’ call for input on the cybersecurity legislation that our Nation needs, and we look forward to engaging with Congress and, specifically, this Committee as you move forward on this important issue," said Deputy Section Chief Richard Downing.

A former Pittsfield man was sentenced late yesterday in federal court for his role in a series of frauds and attempts to avoid paying taxes, as well as lying to federal authorities and financial institutions about his illegal activities.

Ramchand Ramrup, aka Ramy Ramrup, 35, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Marcia G. Cooke in Miami to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud.

Sea Star Line LLC has agreed today to plead guilty and to pay a $14.2 million criminal fine for its role in a conspiracy to fix prices in the coastal water freight transportation industry. Additionally, a federal grand jury in San Juan, Puerto Rico, returned an indictment against Frank Peake, the former president of Sea Star Line, for his role in the same conspiracy.

The Justice Department today filed a lawsuit against the owners and managers of 23 rental homes in Magee, Miss., for violating the Fair Housing Act by discriminating against families with children.

Marion Beverly Metoyer, 57, of Dayton, Texas, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Gray Miller in the Southern District of Texas. Metoyer was convicted by a jury on May 26, 2011, of one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud, three counts of health care fraud, one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States and to receive health care kickbacks and two counts of receiving kickbacks.